情色书屋

THE KNIGHT’S TALE
书名： 坎特伯雷故事集 作者： （英） 乔叟 本章字数： 32919 更新时间： 2024-06-13 17:43:43

WHILOM*, as olde stories tellen us, *formerly

There was a duke that highte* Theseus.

*was called

Of Athens he was lord and governor,

And in his time such a conqueror

That greater was there none under the sun.

Full many a riche country had he won.

What with his wisdom and his chivalry,

He conquer’d all the regne of Feminie,

That whilom was y-cleped Scythia;

And weddede the Queen Hippolyta

And brought her home with him to his country

With muchel* glory and great solemnity, *great

And eke her younge sister Emily,

And thus with vict’ry and with melody

Let I this worthy Duke to Athens ride,

And all his host, in armes him beside.

And certes, if it n’ere* too long to hear, *were not

I would have told you fully the mannere,

How wonnen* was the regne of Feminie, *won

By Theseus, and by his chivalry;

And of the greate battle for the nonce

Betwixt Athenes and the Amazons;

And how assieged was Hippolyta,

The faire hardy queen of Scythia;

And of the feast that was at her wedding

And of the tempest at her homecoming.

But all these things I must as now forbear.

I have, God wot, a large field to ear* *plough

And weake be the oxen in my plough;

The remnant of my tale is long enow.

I will not *letten eke none of this rout*. *hinder any of

Let every fellow tell his tale about, this company*

And let see now who shall the supper win.

There *as I left*, I will again begin. *where I left off*

This Duke, of whom I make mentioun,

When he was come almost unto the town,

In all his weal, and in his moste pride,

He was ware, as he cast his eye aside,

Where that there kneeled in the highe way

A company of ladies, tway and tway,

Each after other, clad in clothes black:

But such a cry and such a woe they make,

That in this world n’is creature living,

That hearde such another waimenting* *lamenting

And of this crying would they never stenten*, *desist

Till they the reines of his bridle henten*. *seize

“What folk be ye that at mine homecoming

Perturben so my feaste with crying?”

Quoth Theseus; “Have ye so great envy

Of mine honour, that thus complain and cry?

Or who hath you misboden*, or offended? *wronged

Do telle me, if it may be amended;

And why that ye be clad thus all in black?”

The oldest lady of them all then spake,

When she had swooned, with a deadly cheer*, *countenance

That it was ruthe* for to see or hear. *pity

She saide; “Lord, to whom fortune hath given

Vict’ry, and as a conqueror to liven,

Nought grieveth us your glory and your honour;

But we beseechen mercy and succour.

Have mercy on our woe and our distress;

Some drop of pity, through thy gentleness,

Upon us wretched women let now fall.

For certes, lord, there is none of us all

That hath not been a duchess or a queen;

Now be we caitives*, as it is well seen: *captives

Thanked be Fortune, and her false wheel,

That *none estate ensureth to be wele*. *assures no continuance of

And certes, lord, t’abiden your presence prosperous estate*

Here in this temple of the goddess Clemence

We have been waiting all this fortenight:

Now help us, lord, since it lies in thy might.

“I, wretched wight, that weep and waile thus,

Was whilom wife to king Capaneus,

That starf* at Thebes, cursed be that day: *died

And alle we that be in this array,

And maken all this lamentatioun,

We losten all our husbands at that town,

While that the siege thereabouten lay.

And yet the olde Creon, wellaway!

That lord is now of Thebes the city,

Fulfilled of ire and of iniquity

He for despite, and for his tyranny,

To do the deade bodies villainy*, *insult

Of all our lorde’s, which that been y-slaw, *slain

Hath all the bodies on an heap y-draw,

And will not suffer them by none assent

Neither to be y-buried, nor y-brent*, *burnt

But maketh houndes eat them in despite.”

And with that word, withoute more respite

They fallen groff,* and cryden piteously; *grovelling

“Have on us wretched women some mercy,

And let our sorrow sinken in thine heart.”

This gentle Duke down from his courser start

With hearte piteous, when he heard them speak.

Him thoughte that his heart would all to-break,

When he saw them so piteous and so mate* *abased

That whilom weren of so great estate.

And in his armes he them all up hent*, *raised, took

And them comforted in full good intent,

And swore his oath, as he was true knight,

He woulde do *so farforthly his might* *as far as his power went*

Upon the tyrant Creon them to wreak*, *avenge

That all the people of Greece shoulde speak,

How Creon was of Theseus y-served,

As he that had his death full well deserved.

And right anon withoute more abode* *delay

His banner he display’d, and forth he rode

To Thebes-ward, and all his, host beside:

No ner* Athenes would he go nor ride, *nearer

Nor take his ease fully half a day,

But onward on his way that night he lay:

And sent anon Hippolyta the queen,

And Emily her younge sister sheen* *bright, lovely

Unto the town of Athens for to dwell:

And forth he rit*; there is no more to tell. *rode

The red statue of Mars with spear and targe* *shield

So shineth in his white banner large

That all the fieldes glitter up and down

And by his banner borne is his pennon

Of gold full rich, in which there was y-beat* *stamped

The Minotaur which that he slew in Crete

Thus rit this Duke, thus rit this conqueror

And in his host of chivalry the flower

Till that he came to Thebes, and alight

Fair in a field, there as he thought to figh

But shortly for to speaken of this thing,

With Creon, which that was of Thebes king,

He fought, and slew him manly as a knight

In plain bataille, and put his folk to flight

And by assault he won the city after,

And rent adown both wall, and spar, and rafter;

And to the ladies he restored again

The bodies of their husbands that were slain,

To do obsequies, as was then the guise*. *custom

But it were all too long for to devise* *describe

The greate clamour, and the waimenting*, *lamenting

Which that the ladies made at the brenning* *burning

Of the bodies, and the great honour

That Theseus the noble conqueror

Did to the ladies, when they from him went:

But shortly for to tell is mine intent.

When that this worthy Duke, this Theseus,

Had Creon slain, and wonnen Thebes thus,

Still in the field he took all night his rest

And did with all the country as him lest*. *pleased

To ransack in the tas* of bodies dead, *heap

Them for to strip of *harness and of **weed, *armour **clothes

The pillers* did their business and cure, *pillagers

After the battle and discomfiture

And so befell, that in the tas they found,

Through girt with many a grievous bloody wound,

Two younge knightes *ligging by and by* *lying side by side*

Both in *one armes*, wrought full richely: *the same armour*

Of whiche two, Arcita hight that one,

And he that other highte Palamon.

Not fully quick*, nor fully dead they were, *alive

But by their coat-armour, and by their gear,

The heralds knew them well in special,

As those that weren of the blood royal

Of Thebes, and *of sistren two y-born*. *born of two sisters*

Out of the tas the pillers have them torn,

And have them carried soft unto the tent

Of Theseus, and he full soon them sent

To Athens, for to dwellen in prison

Perpetually, he *n’olde no ranson*. *would take no ransom*

And when this worthy Duke had thus y-done,

He took his host, and home he rit anon

With laurel crowned as a conquerour;

And there he lived in joy and in honour

Term of his life; what needeth wordes mo’?

And in a tower, in anguish and in woe,

Dwellen this Palamon, and eke Arcite,

For evermore, there may no gold them quite* *set free

Thus passed year by year, and day by day,

Till it fell ones in a morn of May

That Emily, that fairer was to seen

Than is the lily upon his stalke green,

And fresher than the May with flowers ne

(For with the rose colour strove her hue;

I n’ot* which was the finer of them two), *know no

Ere it was day, as she was wont to do,

She was arisen, and all ready dight*, *dressed

For May will have no sluggardy a-night;

The season pricketh every gentle heart,

And maketh him out of his sleep to start,

And saith, “Arise, and do thine observance.”

This maketh Emily have remembrance

To do honour to May, and for to rise.

Y-clothed was she fresh for to devise;

Her yellow hair was braided in a tress,

Behind her back, a yarde long I guess.

And in the garden at *the sun uprist* *sunrise

She walketh up and down where as her list.

She gathereth flowers, party* white and red, *mingle

To make a sotel* garland for her head, *subtle, well-arranged

And as an angel heavenly she sung.

The greate tower, that was so thick and strong,

Which of the castle was the chief dungeon

(Where as these knightes weren in prison,

Of which I tolde you, and telle shall),

Was even joinant* to the garden wall, *adjoining

There as this Emily had her playing.

Bright was the sun, and clear that morrowning,

And Palamon, this woful prisoner,

As was his wont, by leave of his gaoler,

Was ris’n, and roamed in a chamber on high,

In which he all the noble city sigh*, *saw

And eke the garden, full of branches green,

There as this fresh Emelia the sheen

Was in her walk, and roamed up and down.

This sorrowful prisoner, this Palamon

Went in his chamber roaming to and fro,

And to himself complaining of his woe:

That he was born, full oft he said, Alas!

And so befell, by aventure or cas*, *chance

That through a window thick of many a bar

Of iron great, and square as any spar,

He cast his eyes upon Emelia,

And therewithal he blent* and cried, Ah! *started aside

As though he stungen were unto the heart.

And with that cry Arcite anon up start,

And saide, “Cousin mine, what aileth thee,

That art so pale and deadly for to see?

Why cried’st thou? who hath thee done offence?

For Godde’s love, take all in patience

Our prison*, for it may none other be. *imprisonment

Fortune hath giv’n us this adversity’.

Some wick’* aspect or disposition *wicked

Of Saturn, by some constellation,

Hath giv’n us this, although we had it sworn,

So stood the heaven when that we were born,

We must endure; this is the short and plain.

This Palamon answer’d, and said again:

“Cousin, forsooth of this opinion

Thou hast a vain imagination.

This prison caused me not for to cry;

But I was hurt right now thorough mine eye

Into mine heart; that will my bane* be. *destruction

The fairness of the lady that I see

Yond in the garden roaming to and fro,

Is cause of all my crying and my woe.

I *n’ot wher* she be woman or goddess, *know not whether*

But Venus is it, soothly* as I guess, *truly

And therewithal on knees adown he fill

And saide: “Venus, if it be your will

You in this garden thus to transfigur

Before me sorrowful wretched creature,

Out of this prison help that we may scape.

And if so be our destiny be shape

By etern word to dien in prison,

Of our lineage have some compassion,

That is so low y-brought by tyranny.”

And with that word Arcita *gan espy* *began to look forth*

Where as this lady roamed to and fro

And with that sight her beauty hurt him so,

That if that Palamon was wounded sore,

Arcite is hurt as much as he, or more.

And with a sigh he saide piteously:

“The freshe beauty slay’th me suddenly

Of her that roameth yonder in the place.

And but* I have her mercy and her grace, *unless

That I may see her at the leaste way,

I am but dead; there is no more to say.”

This Palamon, when he these wordes heard,

Dispiteously* he looked, and answer’d: *angrily

“Whether say’st thou this in earnest or in play?”

“Nay,” quoth Arcite, “in earnest, by my fay*. *faith

God help me so, *me lust full ill to play*.” *I am in no humour

This Palamon gan knit his browes tway. for jesting*

“It were,” quoth he, “to thee no great honour

For to be false, nor for to be traitour

To me, that am thy cousin and thy brother

Y-sworn full deep, and each of us to other,

That never for to dien in the pain ,

Till that the death departen shall us twain,

Neither of us in love to hinder other,

Nor in none other case, my leve* brother; *dear

But that thou shouldest truly farther me

In every case, as I should farther thee.

This was thine oath, and mine also certain;

I wot it well, thou dar’st it not withsayn*, *deny

Thus art thou of my counsel out of doubt,

And now thou wouldest falsely be about

To love my lady, whom I love and serve,

And ever shall, until mine hearte sterve* *die

Now certes, false Arcite, thou shalt not so

I lov’d her first, and tolde thee my wo

As to my counsel, and my brother sworn

To farther me, as I have told beforn.

For which thou art y-bounden as a knight

To helpe me, if it lie in thy might,

Or elles art thou false, I dare well sayn,”

This Arcita full proudly spake again:

“Thou shalt,” quoth he, “be rather* false than I,*sooner

And thou art false, I tell thee utterly;

For par amour I lov’d her first ere thou

What wilt thou say? *thou wist it not right now**even now thou

Whether she be a woman or goddess. knowest not*

Thine is affection of holiness,

And mine is love, as to a creature:

For which I tolde thee mine aventure

As to my cousin, and my brother sworn

I pose*, that thou loved’st her beforn: *suppose

Wost* thou not well the olde clerke’s saw,*know’st

That who shall give a lover any law?

Love is a greater lawe, by my pan,

Than may be giv’n to any earthly man:

Therefore positive law, and such decree,

Is broke alway for love in each degree

A man must needes love, maugre his head.

He may not flee it, though he should be dead

*All be she* maid, or widow, or else wife. *whether she be*

And eke it is not likely all thy life

To standen in her grace, no more than I

For well thou wost thyselfe verily,

That thou and I be damned to prison

Perpetual, us gaineth no ranson.

We strive, as did the houndes for the bone;

They fought all day, and yet their part was none.

There came a kite, while that they were so wroth,

And bare away the bone betwixt them both.

And therefore at the kinge’s court, my brother,

Each man for himselfe, there is no other.

Love if thee list; for I love and aye shall

And soothly, leve brother, this is all.

Here in this prison musten we endure,

And each of us take his Aventure.”

Great was the strife and long between these tway,

If that I hadde leisure for to say;

But to the effect: it happen’d on a day

(To tell it you as shortly as I may),

A worthy duke that hight Perithous

That fellow was to the Duke Theseus

Since thilke* day that they were children lite** *that**little

Was come to Athens, his fellow to visite,

And for to play, as he was wont to do;

For in this world he loved no man so;

And he lov’d him as tenderly again.

So well they lov’d, as olde bookes sayn,

That when that one was dead, soothly to sayn,

His fellow went and sought him down in hell:

But of that story list me not to write.

Duke Perithous loved well Arcite,

And had him known at Thebes year by year:

And finally at request and prayer

Of Perithous, withoute ranson

Duke Theseus him let out of prison,

Freely to go, where him list over all,

In such a guise, as I you tellen shall

This was the forword*, plainly to indite, *promise

Betwixte Theseus and him Arcite:

That if so were, that Arcite were y-found

Ever in his life, by day or night, one stound**moment

In any country of this Theseus,

And he were caught, it was accorded thus,

That with a sword he shoulde lose his head;

There was none other remedy nor rede*. *counsel

But took his leave, and homeward he him sped;

Let him beware, his necke lieth *to wed*. *in pledge*

How great a sorrow suff’reth now Arcite!

The death he feeleth through his hearte smite;

He weepeth, waileth, crieth piteously;

To slay himself he waiteth privily.

He said; “Alas the day that I was born!

Now is my prison worse than beforn:

*Now is me shape* eternally to dwell *it is fixed for me*

Not in purgatory, but right in hell.

Alas! that ever I knew Perithous.

For elles had I dwelt with Theseus

Y-fettered in his prison evermo’.

Then had I been in bliss, and not in woe.

Only the sight of her, whom that I serve,

Though that I never may her grace deserve,

Would have sufficed right enough for me

O deare cousin Palamon,” quoth he,

“Thine is the vict’ry of this aventure,

Full blissfully in prison to endure:

In prison? nay certes, in paradise.

Well hath fortune y-turned thee the dice,

That hast the sight of her, and I th’ absence.

For possible is, since thou hast her presence,

And art a knight, a worthy and an able,

That by some cas*, since fortune is changeable, *chance

Thou may’st to thy desire sometime attain.

But I that am exiled, and barren

Of alle grace, and in so great despair,

That there n’is earthe, water, fire, nor air

Nor creature, that of them maked is,

That may me helpe nor comfort in this,

Well ought I *sterve in wanhope* and distress. *die in despair*

Farewell my life, my lust*, and my gladness. *pleasure

Alas, *why plainen men so in commune *why do men so often complain

Of purveyance of God*, or of Fortune, of God’s providence?*

That giveth them full oft in many a guise

Well better than they can themselves devise?

Some man desireth for to have richess,

That cause is of his murder or great sickness.

And some man would out of his prison fain,

That in his house is of his meinie* slain. *servants

Infinite harmes be in this mattere

We wot never what thing we pray for here.

We fare as he that drunk is as a mouse.

A drunken man wot well he hath an house,

But he wot not which is the right way thither,

And to a drunken man the way is slither*. *slippery

And certes in this world so fare we.

We seeke fast after felicity,

But we go wrong full often truely.

Thus we may sayen all, and namely* I, *especially

That ween’d*, and had a great opinion, *thought

That if I might escape from prison

Then had I been in joy and perfect heal,

Where now I am exiled from my weal.

Since that I may not see you, Emily,

I am but dead; there is no remedy.”

Upon that other side, Palamon,

When that he wist Arcita was agone,

Much sorrow maketh, that the greate tower

Resounded of his yelling and clamour

The pure* fetters on his shinnes great *very

Were of his bitter salte teares wet.

“Alas!” quoth he, “Arcita, cousin mine,

Of all our strife, God wot, the fruit is thine.

Thou walkest now in Thebes at thy large,

And of my woe thou *givest little charge*. *takest little heed*

Thou mayst, since thou hast wisdom and manhead*,*manhood, courage

Assemble all the folk of our kindred,

And make a war so sharp on this country

That by some aventure, or some treaty,

Thou mayst have her to lady and to wife,

For whom that I must needes lose my life.

For as by way of possibility,

Since thou art at thy large, of prison free,

And art a lord, great is thine avantage,

More than is mine, that sterve here in a cage.

For I must weep and wail, while that I live,

With all the woe that prison may me give,

And eke with pain that love me gives also,

That doubles all my torment and my woe.”

Therewith the fire of jealousy upstar

Within his breast, and hent* him by the heart *seized

So woodly*, that he like was to behold *madly

The box-tree, or the ashes dead and cold.

Then said; “O cruel goddess, that govern

This world with binding of your word etern* *eternal

And writen in the table of adamant

Your parlement* and your eternal grant, *consultation

What is mankind more *unto you y-hold* *by you esteemed

Than is the sheep, that rouketh* in the fold! *lie huddled together

For slain is man, right as another beast;

And dwelleth eke in prison and arrest,

And hath sickness, and great adversity,

And oftentimes guilteless, pardie* *by God

What governance is in your prescience,

That guilteless tormenteth innocence?

And yet increaseth this all my penance,

That man is bounden to his observance

For Godde’s sake to *letten of his will*, *restrain his desire*

Whereas a beast may all his lust fulfil

And when a beast is dead, he hath no pain;

But man after his death must weep and plain,

Though in this worlde he have care and woe:

Withoute doubt it maye standen so.

“The answer of this leave I to divines,

But well I wot, that in this world great pine* is; *pain, trouble

Alas! I see a serpent or a thief

That many a true man hath done mischief,

Go at his large, and where him list may turn.

But I must be in prison through Saturn,

And eke through Juno, jealous and eke wood*, *mad That hath well nigh destroyed all the blood

Of Thebes, with his waste walles wide.

And Venus slay’th me on that other side

For jealousy, and fear of him, Arcite.”

Now will I stent* of Palamon a lite**, *pause**little

And let him in his prison stille dwell,

And of Arcita forth I will you tell.

The summer passeth, and the nightes long

Increase double-wise the paines strong

Both of the lover and the prisonere.

I n’ot* which hath the wofuller mistere**. *know not **condition

For, shortly for to say, this Palamon

Perpetually is damned to prison,

In chaines and in fetters to be dead;

And Arcite is exiled *on his head* *on peril of his head*

For evermore as out of that country,

Nor never more he shall his lady see.

You lovers ask I now this question,

Who lieth the worse, Arcite or Palamon?

The one may see his lady day by day,

But in prison he dwelle must alway.

The other where him list may ride or go,

But see his lady shall he never mo’.

Now deem all as you liste, ye that can,

For I will tell you forth as I began.

When that Arcite to Thebes comen was,

Full oft a day he swelt*, and said, “Alas!” *fainted

For see this lady he shall never mo’.

And shortly to concluden all his woe,

So much sorrow had never creature

That is or shall be while the world may dure.

His sleep, his meat, his drink is *him byraft*, *taken away from him*

That lean he wex*, and dry as any shaft. *became

His eyen hollow, grisly to behold,

His hue sallow, and pale as ashes cold,

And solitary he was, ever alone,

And wailing all the night, making his moan.

And if he hearde song or instrument,

Then would he weepen, he might not be stent*. *stopped

So feeble were his spirits, and so low,

And changed so, that no man coulde know

His speech, neither his voice, though men it heard.

And in his gear* for all the world he far’d *behaviour

Not only like the lovers’ malady

Of Eros, but rather y-like manie* *madness

Engender’d of humours melancholic,

Before his head in his cell fantastic.

And shortly turned was all upside down,

Both habit and eke dispositioun,

Of him, this woful lover Dan* Arcite. *Lord

Why should I all day of his woe indite?

When he endured had a year or two

This cruel torment, and this pain and woe,

At Thebes, in his country, as I said,

Upon a night in sleep as he him laid,

Him thought how that the winged god Mercury

Before him stood, and bade him to be merry.

His sleepy yard* in hand he bare upright; *rod A hat he wore upon his haires bright.

Arrayed was this god (as he took keep*) *notice

As he was when that Argus took his sleep;

And said him thus: “To Athens shalt thou wend*; *go

There is thee shapen* of thy woe an end.” *fixed,prepared

And with that word Arcite woke and start.

“Now truely how sore that e’er me smart,”

Quoth he, “to Athens right now will I fare.

Nor for no dread of death shall I not spare

To see my lady that I love and serve;

In her presence *I recke not to sterve.*” *do not care if I die*

And with that word he caught a great mirror,

And saw that changed was all his colour,

And saw his visage all in other kind.

And right anon it ran him ill his mind,

That since his face was so disfigur’

Of malady the which he had endur’d,

He mighte well, if that he *bare him low,* *lived in lowly fashion*

Live in Athenes evermore unknow,

And see his lady wellnigh day by day.

And right anon he changed his array,

And clad him as a poore labourer.

And all alone, save only a squier,

That knew his privity* and all his cas**, *secrets**fortune

Which was disguised poorly as he was,

To Athens is he gone the nexte* way. *nearest

And to the court he went upon a day,

And at the gate he proffer’d his service,

To drudge and draw, what so men would devise*. *order

And, shortly of this matter for to sayn,

He fell in office with a chamberlain

The which that dwelling was with Emily.

For he was wise, and coulde soon espy

Of every servant which that served her.

Well could he hewe wood, and water bear,

For he was young and mighty for the nones*,*occasion

And thereto he was strong and big of bones

To do that any wight can him devise.

A year or two he was in this service,

Page of the chamber of Emily the bright;

And Philostrate he saide that he hight.

But half so well belov’d a man as he

Ne was there never in court of his degree.

He was so gentle of conditioun,

That throughout all the court was his renown.

They saide that it were a charity

That Theseus would *enhance his degree*, *elevate him in rank*

And put him in some worshipful service,

There as he might his virtue exercise.

And thus within a while his name sprung

Both of his deedes, and of his good tongue,

That Theseus hath taken him so near,

That of his chamber he hath made him squire,

And gave him gold to maintain his degree;

And eke men brought him out of his country

From year to year full privily his rent.

But honestly and slyly* he it spent, *discreetly,prudently

That no man wonder’d how that he it had.

And three year in this wise his life be lad*, *led

And bare him so in peace and eke in werre*, *war

There was no man that Theseus had so derre*. *dear

And in this blisse leave I now Arcite,

And speak I will of Palamon a lite*. *little

In darkness horrible, and strong prison,

This seven year hath sitten Palamon,

Forpined*, what for love, and for distress. *pined,wasted away

Who feeleth double sorrow and heaviness

But Palamon? that love distraineth* so, *afflict

That wood* out of his wits he went for woe, *mad

And eke thereto he is a prisonere

Perpetual, not only for a year.

Who coulde rhyme in English properly

His martyrdom? forsooth*, it is not I; *truly

Therefore I pass as lightly as I may.

It fell that in the seventh year, in May

The thirde night (as olde bookes sayn,

That all this story tellen more plain),

Were it by a venture or destiny

(As when a thing is shapen* it shall be), *settled,decreed

That soon after the midnight, Palamon

By helping of a friend brake his prison,

And fled the city fast as he might go

For he had given drink his gaoler so

Of a clary , made of a certain wine,

With *narcotise and opie* of Thebes fine, *narcotics and opium*

That all the night, though that men would him shake,

The gaoler slept, he mighte not awake:

And thus he fled as fast as ever he may

The night was short, and *faste by the day *close at hand was

That needes cast he must himself to hide*. the day during which

And to a grove faste there beside he must cast about, or contrive,

With dreadful foot then stalked Palamon. to conceal himself.*

For shortly this was his opinion,

That in the grove he would him hide all day,

And in the night then would he take his way

To Thebes-ward, his friendes for to pray

On Theseus to help him to warray*. *make war

And shortly either he would lose his life,

Or winnen Emily unto his wife.

This is th’ effect, and his intention plain.

Now will I turn to Arcita again,

That little wist how nighe was his care,

Till that Fortune had brought him in the snare.

The busy lark, the messenger of day,

Saluteth in her song the morning gray;

And fiery Phoebus riseth up so bright

That all the orient laugheth at the sight,

And with his streames* drieth in the greves** *rays **groves

The silver droppes, hanging on the leaves;

And Arcite, that is in the court royal

With Theseus, his squier principal,

Is ris’n, and looketh on the merry day.

And for to do his observance to May,

Remembering the point* of his desire, *object

He on his courser, starting as the fire

Is ridden to the fieldes him to play

Out of the court, were it a mile or tway.

And to the grove, of which I have you told,

By a venture his way began to hold,

To make him a garland of the greves*, *groves

Were it of woodbine, or of hawthorn leaves,

And loud he sang against the sun so sheen*. *shining bright

“O May, with all thy flowers and thy green

Right welcome be thou, faire freshe May,

I hope that I some green here getten may.”

And from his courser*, with a lusty heart, *horse

Into the grove full hastily he start,

And in a path he roamed up and down,

There as by aventure this Palamon

Was in a bush, that no man might him see,

For sore afeard of his death was he.

Nothing ne knew he that it was Arcite;

God wot he would have *trowed it full lite*. *full little believed it*

But sooth is said, gone since full many years,

The field hath eyen*, and the wood hath ears, *eye

It is full fair a man *to bear him even*, *to be on his guard*

For all day meeten men at *unset steven*. *unexpected time

Full little wot Arcite of his fellaw,

That was so nigh to hearken of his saw*, *saying,speech

For in the bush he sitteth now full still.

When that Arcite had roamed all his fill

And *sungen all the roundel* lustily, *sang the roundelay*

Into a study he fell suddenly,

As do those lovers in their *quainte gears*, *odd fashions*

Now in the crop*, and now down in the breres**, *tree-top

Now up, now down, as bucket in a well. **briars

Right as the Friday, soothly for to tell,

Now shineth it, and now it raineth fast,

Right so can geary* Venus overcast *changeful

The heartes of her folk, right as her day

Is gearful*, right so changeth she array. *changeful

Seldom is Friday all the weeke like.

When Arcite had y-sung, he gan to sike*, *sigh

And sat him down withouten any more:

“Alas!” quoth he, “the day that I was bore!

How longe, Juno, through thy cruelty

Wilt thou warrayen* Thebes the city? *torment

Alas! y-brought is to confusion

The blood royal of Cadm’ and Amphion:

Of Cadmus, which that was the firste man

That Thebes built, or first the town began

And of the city first was crowned king

Of his lineage am I, and his offspring

By very line, as of the stock royal;

And now I am *so caitiff and so thrall*, *wretched and enslaved*

That he that is my mortal enemy,

I serve him as his squier poorely.

And yet doth Juno me well more shame,

For I dare not beknow* mine owen name, *acknowledge

But there as I was wont to hight Arcite,

Now hight I Philostrate, not worth a mite.

Alas! thou fell Mars, and alas! Juno,

Thus hath your ire our lineage all fordo* *undone, ruined

Save only me, and wretched Palamon,

That Theseus martyreth in prison.

And over all this, to slay me utterly,

Love hath his fiery dart so brenningly* *burningl

Y-sticked through my true careful heart,

That shapen was my death erst than my shert.

Ye slay me with your eyen, Emily;

Ye be the cause wherefore that I die.

Of all the remnant of mine other care

Ne set I not the *mountance of a tare*, *value of a straw*

So that I could do aught to your pleasance.”

And with that word he fell down in a trance

A longe time; and afterward upstart

This Palamon, that thought thorough his heart

He felt a cold sword suddenly to glide:

For ire he quoke*, no longer would he hide. *quaked

And when that he had heard Arcite’s tale,

As he were wood*, with face dead and pale, *mad

He start him up out of the bushes thick,

And said: “False Arcita, false traitor wick’*, *wicked

Now art thou hent*, that lov’st my lady so, *caught

For whom that I have all this pain and woe,

And art my blood, and to my counsel sworn,

As I full oft have told thee herebeforn,

And hast bejaped* here Duke Theseus, *deceived,imposed upon

And falsely changed hast thy name thus;

I will be dead, or elles thou shalt die.

Thou shalt not love my lady Emily,

But I will love her only and no mo’;

For I am Palamon thy mortal foe.

And though I have no weapon in this place,

But out of prison am astart* by grace, *escaped

I dreade* not that either thou shalt die, *doubt

Or else thou shalt not loven Emily.

Choose which thou wilt, for thou shalt not astart.”

This Arcite then, with full dispiteous* heart, *wrathful

When he him knew, and had his tale heard,

As fierce as lion pulled out a swerd

And saide thus; “By God that sitt’th above,

*N’ere it* that thou art sick, and wood for love, *were it not*

And eke that thou no weap’n hast in this place,

Thou should’st never out of this grove pace,

That thou ne shouldest dien of mine hand.

For I defy the surety and the band,

Which that thou sayest I have made to thee.

What? very fool, think well that love is free;

And I will love her maugre* all thy might. *despite

But, for thou art a worthy gentle knight,

And *wilnest to darraine her by bataille*, *will reclaim her

Have here my troth, to-morrow I will not fail, by combat*

Without weeting* of any other wight, *knowledge

That here I will be founden as a knight,

And bringe harness* right enough for thee; *armour and arms

And choose the best, and leave the worst for me.

And meat and drinke this night will I bring

Enough for thee, and clothes for thy bedding.

And if so be that thou my lady win,

And slay me in this wood that I am in,

Thou may’st well have thy lady as for me.”

This Palamon answer’d, “I grant it thee.”

And thus they be departed till the morrow,

When each of them hath *laid his faith to borrow*. *pledged his faith*

O Cupid, out of alle charity!

O Regne* that wilt no fellow have with thee! *queen

Full sooth is said, that love nor lordeship

Will not, *his thanks*, have any fellowship. *thanks to him*

Well finden that Arcite and Palamon

Arcite is ridd anon unto the town,

And on the morrow, ere it were daylight,

Full privily two harness hath he dight*, *prepared

Both suffisant and meete to darraine* *contes

The battle in the field betwixt them twain

And on his horse, alone as he was born,

He carrieth all this harness him beforn;

And in the grove, at time and place y-set,

This Arcite and this Palamon be met.

Then change gan the colour of their face;

Right as the hunter in the regne* of Thrace *kingdom

That standeth at a gappe with a spear

When hunted is the lion or the bear,

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